Jaz Valencia: Founder of JV Agency
Introduce yourself to us! What do you do in the industry? Where are you from? Hi! I'm Jazmine, but you will probably end up calling me Jaz or Jazzy. I run JV Agency, a management and marketing agency! I'm from NYC!
How did you get your start, and how long have you been in the industry? I started as an intern the summer before finishing school since I didn’t know anyone who worked in the industry, I decided to apply for a summer internship to get my foot in the door. I looked at the labels in NYC and found that the Island Def Jam Music Group had a majority of my favorite artists so I decided to apply there for my summer internship. I got the internship and that's how it all really started for me!
When did you know being in the business is what you wanted to do? Was there a specific moment where you were like “oh god, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life”? There wasn't one specific moment, but a series of moments that kept bringing me back to music-related things happening to me and around me. A friend of mine showed me a new music program at school and when I researched it, I just knew that it was the right fit for me.
You founded JV Agency; can you tell us more on what that is? JV Agency is a marketing and management agency. We work very closely with our artists to bring their vision to life and help them get to the next level, whatever that might be for each one of them!
Is there anything you struggled with (or even still do struggle with) being in the industry? This is a topic that comes up often, being a woman in the music industry. Being a young woman in the music industry. The struggle comes from other people in the industry that have a problem with this or can't seem to understand that is almost 2020 and women have an equal say and belong at the head of the table.
What is the best part of your job? Why? The best part is to get to see artists grow in their music careers. There have been countless times where we meet an artist where they are performing to 5 people in the room (including myself here) and fast forward a few months/years and see them perform in front of thousands of people, is the best feeling in the world!
Is there someone who you consider as your mentor in the business? Yes, I have a few mentors who have helped me along the way in different aspects of my career. They know who they are and appreciate them more than they know! What advice do you have for women who want to get their start in the music industry? Don’t be afraid to speak up and share your opinion. Always remember you have a voice and a mind of your own for a reason, so use it!!
Have you ever been turned down or not taken seriously because you were a female in the industry? What did you do when put into that position? I haven't let myself be put in that position. It does happen, and I've seen it countless times over and over again happen to others. My advice to anyone who might feel they could be put into that position is to do their research, be prepared, walk into any room, and be the most knowledgeable person in that room. People will listen to you and take you seriously.
What are some of your other hobbies? What do you do in your free time (which we know can be very hard to find)? Travel, I travel as much as I can. When it is for work I always try to extend it into a personal trip. I go to at least one new country each year! With travel is how you learn and get experiences outside of your everyday job.
What artists have you toured with? What is your favorite part of touring? I've been lucky to go on lots of tours along the way. My favorite part of touring is getting to explore a new city. One of my favorite tour managers would always put a fun fact about the city and the best place for food on our itineraries!
Tour must-have? Extra iPhone chargers, noise-canceling headphones, a soft blanket, and an open mind to try new things!
What is the best/worst tour memory you have? I have such amazing memories from tour. One that comes to mind is one of The Killers tours, it was the last day of this particular tour in Miami and it was one of those moments in life where you can truly remember everything about the day because it was such a spectacular day.
Who is your all-time favorite artist? This is such a hard question to answer, I have so many favorite artists, but if I had to pick one, I would say Green Day. They were the first artist I discovered and made my own.
What is something you can't live without? Besides the typical technology (iPhone, Laptop, airpods), I can't live without sparkling water, been drinking it since I was a baby!
Go-to Karaoke song? Green Day’s Dookie or Avril Lavigne’s Sk8ter Boi
Tea or Coffee? Powered by Green Tea!
Celeb crush? Johnny Depp
First concert you went to? Warped tour, it was amazing!
What’s something that you always have on you? A black notebook and The Valencia (a leather iPhone case I designed with proceeds going to charity
Who is your dream artist or band to tour/work with? I think I would like to work with someone that has seen so many different evolutions of the music industry such as Paul McCartney.
What does a typical day at work look like for you? Every day is different, which is what I love. This week, for example, I started off shopping for outfits for a music video, the next day a photoshoot, the day after, the video shoot and right now I'm sitting in a studio for a writing session, tomorrow I fly out for work, then a personal trip!
Where do you see yourself in five years? I'd like to continue to help artists grow their careers and mentor young females in the music industry.
What do you hope to see done in the industry within the next few years? I would like to see the industry back to discovering, developing, and nurturing artists. The industry needs a new way to measure artists besides the number of followers their socials reflect.
Lastly, what saying do you live by? Never Lose Curiosity.
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